SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF N-ACETYLNEURAMINIC ACID-BASED ROTAVIRUS INHIBITORS

Rotavirus can cause several gastrointestinal disease, especially in in fants and young children, and is particularly prevalent in Third-World countries. Therefore, the development of potential inhibitors of this virus is of great interest. The present study describes the synthesis and in vitro biological evaluation of a number of N-acethyneuraminic acid-based compounds as potential rotavirus inhibitors. Our data sugge sts that it is indeed possible to inhibit adhesion of the virus, and h ence in vitro replication, with carbohydrate-based molecules, although this inhibition, dues appear to be strain dependent.